If you do something classy like that you should have a classy drawing to go along with it - and they do. Using a scene reminiscent of the Berlin Airlift, Magpul is reminding Coloradans to take advantage of this offer. They also are working on similar programs for citizens in other states who are having their freedom challenged.

Capturing the headlines, issues and pleasures relevant to multicultural
life in America, the daily one-hour series is hosted by award-winning
journalist Michel Martin. Tell Me More
marks Martin's first role in hosting a daily program. She views it as
an opportunity to focus on the stories, experiences, ideas and people
important in contemporary life but often not heard.

Kenn gave a great interview in which he discussed his history with firearms, the role that firearms have played within the African-American community, his interest in the history of firearms in that community, and, to be frank, the uneasy relationship he has with his congregation over his views on firearms and firearm rights.

I've said it before and I will say it again - we are very fortunate to have someone like Pastor Kenn on our side of the gun rights issue. An articulate spokesman of whatever color or race is always an asset.

"We spend a lot of money in the state bringing movie production here, post-production here, so obviously we would want to facilitate that," said Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who wants to expand the film and TV tax credit.

He said movies and TV may use fake guns that wouldn't be subject to the new law but the industry wants "certainty." The revised law would allow them to use real weapons without real ammunition.

"There's no reason not to make a change like that to give an industry comfort, especially when it's an industry we want to do business in the state," the governor said.

There is a Yiddish word for what Gov. Cuomo wants to do. That word is chutzpah.

While most of the ordinance was sensible and provided for the mayor to act without council in the aftermath of a disaster, it was the sixth of seven sections that caused the uproar. That was the section that allowed any law enforcement officer to disarm residents for the protection of the officer or other individuals. If someone was brandishing a firearm in an unsafe or threatening manner, Alabama law already gave an officer the authority to disarm them - and to arrest them.

"As Mayor, I can say there is absolutely no intent to undermine the right to bear arms. I live
in a house full of hunters and I am a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, as are all
members of the City Council.

“The City’s intent was never to 'disarm our citizens or seize firearms'. The purpose is for the
City to be able to respond in a timely manner in the event of a disaster which we hope never
happens. However, after April 27, 2011, we know what can easily become a reality.

"The entire proposed local ordinance follows the state emergency ordinance, and the section
related to firearms follows existing state statutes. That section was included so public
workers and volunteers helping during a state of emergency are protected from someone
causing harm or potentially causing harm. In no way is this ordinance trying to infringe upon
anyone’s constitutional rights."

Yesterday, the Guntersville City Council had a special meeting and voted to withdraw the ordinance in its entirety from consideration. The whole meeting lasted probably less than five minutes. According to one report, Mayor Dollar said "This entire council is a strong proponent of the Second Amendment. We all own guns."

We in my home state of North Carolina had to go to US District Court to secure our right to be armed in defense of home and family during an emergency. So I am pleased Mayor Dollar and the Guntersville Council did the right thing when they realized the magnitude of their actions. If this story has a moral, it is that about the power of social media to alert and activate opposition to threats to our rights. It doesn't always work but in this case it succeeded beautifully.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Jimmy Kimmel Live last night was supposed to feature the British singer Morrissey and the Robertson family from the A&E Show Duck Dynasty. However, when Morrissey, a vegetarian and "animal rights activist", found out the Robertsons were sharing the limelight with him, he issued an ultimatum - them or me.

"As far as my reputation is concerned, I can't take the risk of being on
a show alongside people who, in effect, amount to animal serial
killers," Morrissey said in a statement. "If Jimmy cannot dump 'Duck
Dynasty' then we must step away."

Oh, the horror of having to appear alongside those uncouth colonialists who actually kill their own meat.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The National Shooting Sports Foundation held a series of interviews with managers and workers of a number of Connecticut firearms and firearms accessory manufacturers recently. As the Connecticut legislature looks at a number of draconian gun control laws in the wake of the Newtown shootings, this video puts a human face on the workers of the Connecticut gun industry.

The interviews are with the leaders and employees of O.F. Mossberg, Stag Arms, and magazine maker Ammunition Storage Components.

To paraphrase political strategist James Carville, it's jobs, stupid. While the jobs may not disappear overnight as it is hard to transfer operations to other locations, if these laws pass, I think you will see more and more of their operations being moved to more gun-friendly states. Indeed, industrial recruiters from such states are already hovering.

I suppose it is impertinent to ask why we need universal background checks when the Obama Administration won't even prosecute cases involving straw purchases. The correct answer is that we don't. These laws, if passed, will become another of what Michael Bane calls "flypaper laws". That is, laws that make it difficult not to violate the law.

I have been remiss in updating the list of newly introduced legislation dealing with firearms and firearm ownership. Below are the bills that have been introduced in the House of Representatives since February 5th and the Senate since January 31st. They include both pro-gun rights bills and others that would seek to trample on the Second Amendment.

House of Representatives

HR 538 - Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)PLEA ActTo protect the Nation's law enforcement officers by banning the
Five-seveN Pistol and 5.7 x 28mm SS190, SS192, SS195LF, SS196, and SS197
cartridges, testing handguns and ammunition for capability to penetrate
body armor, and prohibiting the manufacture, importation, sale, or
purchase of such handguns or ammunition by civilians.
Referred to House Judiciary Committee

HR 575 - Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX)Second Amendment Protection Act of 2013To express the sense of the Congress that the United States should not
adopt any treaty that poses a threat to national sovereignty or abridges
any rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution, such as the
right to keep and bear arms, and to withhold funding from the United
Nations unless the President certifies that the United Nations has not
taken action to restrict, attempt to restrict, or otherwise adversely
infringe upon the rights of individuals in the United States to keep and
bear arms, or abridge any of the other constitutionally protected
rights of citizens of the United States.
Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee

HR 577 - Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX)Veterans Second Amendment Protection ActTo amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the conditions under
which certain persons may be treated as adjudicated mentally incompetent
for certain purposes.
Referred to House Committee on Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs

HR 602 - Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection ActTo amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the conditions under
which certain persons may be treated as adjudicated mentally incompetent
for certain purposes.
Referred to House Committee on Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs

HR 619 - Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)Keep Kids Safe Act of 2013 To amend title 18, United States Code, to place limitations on the
possession, sale, and other disposition of a firearm by persons
convicted of misdemeanor sex offenses against children.
Referred to House Judiciary Committee

UPDATE: Here is one more to add to the list from Chuck Schumer. Interestingly enough, his office hasn't released any sort of press release on the bill. Given that the most dangerous place in DC figuratively is between Chuck Schumer and a TV camera, this is remarkable.

S 374 - Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY)A bill to ensure that all individuals who should be prohibited from
buying a firearm are listed in the national instant criminal background
check system and require a background check for every firearm sale.
Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee

The NRA-ILA has come out with a new ad based upon the leaked Depart of Justice memo that says an assault weapons ban (sic) and universal background checks are worthless unless draconian measures are added to it. The memo from Dr. Greg Ridgeway of the National Institute of Justice can be found here.

When Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the rest of the gun prohibitionists say "universal background checks", I think what they really mean deep down is "universal registration". Without registration, universal background checks are a joke. Now in a Freudian slip (or not), Schumer calls for universal registration.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Since my first post on gun rights related legislation introduced in this session of the North Carolina General Assembly, a few more bills have been introduced. I have covered some of them in detail in other posts so this will be just a list of the highlights.

HB 63 - Support Right to Bear Arms.
This bill expresses the General Assembly's support of the inalienable
right of the people of this State to keep and bear arms and opposes any infringement by the
federal government in the State's right to guarantee the protection of the right of the people of
this State to keep and bear arms.Primary Sponsor: Speciale (R-Craven)Other Sponsors: Arp (R-Union); J. Bell (R-Wayne); R. Brawley (R-Mecklenburg); Bumgardner (R-Gaston); Cleveland (R-Onslow); Conrad (R-Forsyth); Dixon (R-Duplin); Ford (R-Rowan); Iler (R-Brunswick); Jones (R-Rockingham); Jordan (R-Ashe); Martin (R-Pitt); McElraft (R-Carteret); McNeill (R-Randolph); Millis (R-Pender); Moffitt (R-Buncombe); Pittman (R-Cabarrus); Presnell (R-Yancy); Riddell (R-Alamance); Saine (R-Lincoln); Schaffer (R-Mecklenburg); Setzer (R-Catawba); Shepard (R-Onslow); Starnes (R-Caldwell); Steinburg (R-Chowan); Stone (R-Lee); Turner (R-Iredell); Warren (R-Rowan); Whitmire; (R-Transylvania)SB 59 - Armed Security Guards in K-12.
This bill would allow armed security guards in schools if they had passed the selection and training requirements for state law enforcement officers in all schools, it would order the NC Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission to develop a curriculum to be administered to armed security guards by the various sheriffs' offices, and would allow for the waiver of certain concealed carry requirements for armed security guards who met certain requirements.Primary Sponsor: Sen. Ronald Rabin (R-Harnett)Other Sponsor: Sen. Norman W. Sanderson (R-Pamlico)SB 124 - Shoot Gun From Inside/To Harm or Incite Fear.
This bill would make it a Class E Felony to discharge a firearm within an enclosure for the purpose of causing harm or inciting fear.Primary Sponsor: Sen. Peter Brunstetter (R-Forsyth) I wrote about SB 124 this weekend and called it North Carolina's "Don't Be A Joe Biden" law. Read the comment from Sean Sorrentino on it in my post. SB 59 seems to be a complement to SB 27 which would allow for the position of School Marshal. It seems that it seeks the same end - armed guards in schools - but from a different angle. Finally, HB 63 follows the trend in some other states of stating that they won't stand for Federal infringements of the Second Amendment in new gun control legislation.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Remington has set up a new website that allows people to send a prepared email regarding gun control efforts to elected officials at the national and state level. The website called "Take A Stand Now" also has a way to send a selection of prepared Tweets to your senators and congressman.

This brings to four the number of firearms and ammo manufacturers who have provided an easy way to send a pro-gun rights message to the White House, Congress, and the State Houses.

I used it to send out the pre-written message on Saturday morning. I received a personal email from State Senator Jim Davis (R-Macon) by that afternoon. My point is that the message does get through.

The NRA Women's Network has produced a video highlighting one of the youngest female junior shooters. Katie Francis is rising through the ranks in 3-Gun competition.

From her bio:

Katie Francis is one of the youngest female junior shooters in the
circuit. At only 13-years-old, she has already accomplished more than
most. Her father, Sergeant First Class Chad Francis, bought her a .22
when she was 9-years-old. At the age of 10, she got her first buck, an
8-point, with an AR-15. Today, the ambitious teenager has her sights set
high, and counts the possibility of making an Olympic appearance as one
of her goals.

On Tuesday, Vice-President Joe Biden gave the following advice on a Facebook forum sponsored by Parents Magazine. It was in response to a question about families being left defenseless if a new assault weapons (sic) ban is passed.

“Kate,” he said, “if you want to protect yourself, get a double-barrel shotgun, have the shells, a 12-gauge shotgun.”

It turns out that this is the same advice he gave his own wife on how to defend their home in rural Delaware.

“I said, ‘Jill, if there's ever a problem, just walk out on the balcony here. Walk out and put that double-barrel shotgun and fire two blasts outside the house’ ... You don’t need an AR-15—it’s harder to aim ... It’s harder to use, and in fact you don’t need 30 rounds to protect yourself. Buy a shotgun! Buy a shotgun!”

Of course it is stupid advice to tell someone to fire any firearm into the air as a warning.

S. 124 would make it a Class E felony to fire a gun from inside a structure so as to "incite fear".

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT TO MAKE IT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE TO DISCHARGE A FIREARM FROM WITHIN AN ENCLOSURE WITH THE INTENT TO DO HARM OR INCITE FEAR.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:SECTION 1. Article 8 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:"§ 14-34.10. Discharge firearm within enclosure to do harm or incite fear.
Unless covered under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, any person who willfully or wantonly discharges or attempts to discharge a firearm within any building, structure, motor vehicle, or other conveyance, erection, or enclosure with the intent to do harm or incite fear shall be punished as a Class E felon."
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective December 1, 2013, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

I have no idea whether this bill will become law. While I enjoy tweaking the Vice-President, I could see an over-zealous prosecutor using this to weaken the protections afforded by the Castle Doctrine.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Illinois State Rifle Association has sent out an alert warning about the plans of House Speaker Michael Madigan concerning concealed carry. It appears that he will try to force through his own CCW bill that will be the nation's most restrictive carry law this coming week.

From ISRA:

Mike Madigan is ticked off...

Why is Mike Madigan so ticked off? Quite simply, hes ticked off because the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has told him plainly that the legislature must bow to constitutional authority  not to the whims of Mike Madigan. And we all know what a control freak Mike Madigan is.

No, Mike Madigan is no longer in control of the concealed carry debate. The courts have said once and for all that Illinois will join 49 other states in allowing citizens to carry defensive firearms.

The court has really ticked Madigan off...

Mike Madigan is so ticked off that he plans to introduce his own version of a concealed carry bill early next week. Of course, under Madigans carry bill, the only people who would be allowed to carry would be... um... nobody.

Although the details of Madigans concealed carry bill (HB1155) have not yet been released, those close to Madigan are saying that it will be the most restrictive concealed carry bill in the nation.

1. Beginning first thing Monday morning, call your state representative and politely tell them that you are a law-abiding firearm owner and that you oppose Madigans insulting HB1155 and that you would like them to vote against the bill.

2. Pass this alert on to all your friends and family members and ask them to call their state representatives as well.

3. Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs or bulletin boards to which you belong.

If you do not know who your state representative is, please click the link below and you will be able to identify your representative and get their Springfield phone number.

Greg Hickok - Hickok45 on YouTube - has some good advice for new shooters on how not to shoot a semi-auto pistol. I'm glad he's doing videos like this as they are needed.

At my company's regional meeting that I mentioned yesterday, I spoke with at least two of my colleagues who were considering getting their first firearm. One of these colleagues also said his dad, a NRA-hating retired college professor, was also considering buying a gun for the house. My point is that there are a lot of new shooters out there who could use this type of info.

I was reading a story about a letter sent by Republican congressmen calling out President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder demanding enforcement of existing firearms laws before consideration of any new laws. However, that isn't what caught my eye. Look at the picture below of firearms confiscated in Chicago. The photo is credited to the Associated Press and I presume it is from some sort of show and tell put on by the Chicago Police Department.

My eye immediately went to the top rifle in the photo. I see the carrying handle from both an AR and the FAL. then I look at the handguard and front sight. It is an FAL! What the hell?

I have never seen a FN-FAL or any of its variants with an AR carry handle/rear sight scabbed on to it. I wish I had a better photo but it appears that it is part of the dust cover.

That the firearm was confiscated I don't doubt. However, I would be really shocked to hear that it from confiscated from either a crime scene or taken from some gang banger. If you told me it came from a crime scene in Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires I might believe it but not Chicago. Moreover, it doesn't look like the only one in the photo. Check out the stock of the rifle that is under the leg of the Franken-FAL's bipod. It appears to me a FAL as well.

If you've ever come across something like this, I'd be interested in knowing more.

The NRA-ILA was also pleased with the ruling from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday that denied Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's request for an en banc hearing of the dual cases - Moore v. Madigan and Shepard v. Madigan.

Fairfax, Va. – The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled on December 11, 2012, that Illinois' total ban on carrying firearms for self-defense outside the home or business is unconstitutional. Today, the same court sitting en banc denied the State of Illinois’ petition to rehear the case. The case involves lead plaintiff Mary Shepard, an Illinois resident and a trained gun owner, who is licensed to carry a concealed handgun in both Utah and Florida. The National Rifle Association is funding this case. The Illinois State Rifle and Pistol Association is a co-plaintiff in this case.

On September 28, 2009, while working as the treasurer of her church, Ms. Shepard and an 83-year-old co-worker were viciously attacked and beaten by a six-foot-three-inch, 245 pound man with a violent past and a criminal record. Ms. Shepard and her co-worker were lucky to survive, as each of them suffered major injuries to the head, neck and upper body. Ms. Shepard's injuries required extensive surgeries and she continues physical therapy to this day attempting to recover from her injuries.

In the ruling which was upheld today, Judge Richard Posner ruled that Illinois’ ban on carriage is unconstitutional. The Judge went on to say, “One doesn’t have to be a historian to realize that a right to keep and bear arms for personal self-defense in the eighteenth century could not rationally have been limited to the home. . . . Twenty-first century Illinois has no hostile Indians. But a Chicagoan is a good deal more likely to be attacked on a sidewalk than in his apartment on the 35th floor.”

"Today's decision is a major victory for the Second Amendment and all the law abiding citizens of Illinois who wish to both to keep arms, and to bear arms," added Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA's Institute for Legislative Action. "It is now clear that no state can deny law-abiding residents the right to carry a firearm for self-defense outside the home. We have been fighting this case for years and are prepared to keep fighting until the courts fully protect the entire Second Amendment."

The refusal of the 7th Circuit to grant Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan an en banc hearing is a win for concealed carry in that state. While the question remains whether Madigan will appeal to the US Supreme Court, in the meantime the Illinois General Assembly has to get to work on a concealed carry law that would pass the court's muster.

As you can imagine, the Second Amendment Foundation is thrilled with the refusal to grant an en banc hearing.

7TH CIRCUIT LETS POSNER RULING
STAND; HUGE WIN FOR CCW, SAYS SAF

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today won a significant victory for concealed carry when the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals let stand a December ruling by a three-judge panel of the court that forces Illinois to adopt a concealed carry law, thus affirming that the right to bear arms exists outside the home.

The ruling came in Moore v. Madigan, a case filed by SAF. The December opinion that now stands was written by Judge Richard Posner, who gave the Illinois legislature 180 days to “craft a new gun law that will impose reasonable limitations, consistent with the public safety and the Second Amendment…on the carrying of guns in public.” That clock is ticking, noted SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb.

“Illinois lawmakers need to create some kind of licensing system or face the prospect of not having any regulations at all when Judge Posner’s deadline arrives,” Gottlieb said. “They need to act. They can no longer run and hide from this mandate.”

“We were delighted with Judge Posner’s ruling in December,” he continued, “and today’s decision by the entire circuit to allow his ruling to stand is a major victory, and not just for gun owners in Illinois. Judge Posner’s ruling affirmed that the right to keep and bear arms, itself, extends beyond the boundary of one’s front door.”

In December, Judge Posner wrote, “The right to ‘bear’ as distinct from the right to ‘keep’ arms is unlikely to refer to the home. To speak of ‘bearing’ arms within one’s home would at all times have been an awkward usage. A right to bear arms thus implies a right to carry a loaded gun outside the home.”

Judge Posner subsequently added, “To confine the right to be armed to the home is to divorce the Second Amendment from the right of self-defense described in Heller and McDonald.”

“It is now up to the legislature,” Gottlieb said, “to craft a statute that recognizes the right of ordinary citizens to carry outside the home, without a sea of red tape or a requirement to prove any kind of need beyond the cause of personal protection.”

The ruling also affects a similar case filed by the National Rifle Association known as Shepard v. Madigan.

Chicago's ABC 7 had a report on the legislative hearings about concealed carry in Illinois in the wake of the 7th Circuit's denial of an en banc hearing for Moore/Shepard v Madigan. You just have to shake your head in dismay about the hysteria and ignorance spouted by officials from the Chicago Transit Authority and from the gun control lobby. Fortunately, this was offset by Dr. Paula Bradich and Todd Vandermyde.

Friday, February 22, 2013

I spent the last two days in Charlotte attending a regional meeting of my company which explains the light blogging. Anytime I take a trip out of town I try to scope out the local gun shops. This is especially true now in light of the run on guns since Obama was reelected and the Newtown shootings.

On the way down I stopped at the Shooter's Express in Belmont. I had bought my first AR lower there many years ago. I did see a few ARs and AKs in stock plus a decent assortment of handguns. The used rack was a bit sparse. One of the clerks told me that before the rush they had six used racks and now they have one.

I was looking for some reloading supplies and the folks at Shooter's Express suggested Little Hardware which I checked out this afternoon once the meeting ended. What a cool place! It was like the old fashioned hardware store on steroids with a little bit of everything yet better organized. The clerk that helped me told me that they had sold out of most of their reloading supplies. I was looking for powder to reload 5.56x45. Specifically, I was looking for Hodgdon CFE223. I didn't have any luck there. The clerk pulled out a reloading manual and we looked to see if anything would be appropriate. As luck would have it, I found a 1 lb. canister of IMR 8028 XBR which has a great reputation for accurate loads. I also came home with a 500 round box of 148 grain HBWC for my .38 Special.

On my way out of town I dropped in at Lawman's Supply off Clanton Road. Having been there a couple of years ago, I knew they often had a number of police department trade-in pistols. They didn't have anything I really wanted. However, if you are in the market for either a Glock 21 (.45 ACP) or a Springfield XD-9, they had a number available in the $350-360 price range. I'd guess they had about 10 of each.

Finally, I went all yuppie and visited Ikea for the first time ever. It was actually a rather cool place even if I felt like the only conservative in the store. I was looking for the Ordning cutlery canister to use as a bushcraft/hobo stove. I figured for $2.99 how could I lose. The only problem is that I kept finding other stuff that caught my eye like a LED lamp for my desk, some new towels, and some small glasses that I thought would be great for a bourbon tasting.

I'll be back to regular blogging tomorrow. I'm just glad to be back home in the mountains.

Jim Shepherd, publisher of the Outdoor Wires, had a very interesting column this morning regarding the new gun control legislation that has been surfacing in places as disparate as Colorado and New Jersey. The language of the bills seems to have been derived from the same source - Mayor Bloomberg and his Illegal Mayors. This is something Michael Bane just pointed out about the Colorado legislation in his weekly Down Range Radio podcast on Wednesday.

Jim asks the question what if the purpose of the legislation is really the redefinition of legal terms.

But what if the intent of this legislation wasn't really the banning of magazines or classes of firearms? What if the real intent was to let the bans be watered down while pushing through sweeping redefinitions of terms we all think are clearly defined?

Consider, for example, the lawful transfer. That's a transfer of ownership between two private parties or between a federal firearms licensee and a purchaser, right? To a point.

But what if language broadened to the point that the term "transfer" was applicable to any regulated item -such as a "high-capacity magazine" used in competition and not just a "firearm"?

It seems to be a very small distinction, until you realize that a lawful transfer, as stated under Colorado's proposed statutes, would be applicable to magazines. And those definitions went on to broaden a "recognized competition" as having been run by either a state agency or non-profit. SASS, IDPA, USPSA are not, technically non-profit organizations. Under that broadened definition, USPSA/IDPA match officials picking up a magazine dropped during a competition stage would be participating in an illegal transfer.

Jim poses a very interesting question which illustrates the Machiavellian nature of some of our opponents. Read Jim's whole column. It is a must-read.

I've been at our regional business meeting since yesterday morning which explains the lighter than normal blogging. One of our presentations yesterday included this clip from YouTube involving grapes, cucumbers, and Capuchin monkeys. It was from the TED talk by Frans de Waal.

You will notice that it is the monkey on the left that pitches the fit when it is only given something that is good for it. I'll leave it at that.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

In response to news that Obama's former campaign organization would be having a "National Day of Action" in support of gun control on February 22nd, Grass Roots North Carolina asks that people make five phone calls on February 25th and 26th. They are calling this Five Phone Calls for Freedom.

On Feb. 25 & 26, make ‘Five Phone Calls for Freedom’

Friday, February 22, will witness an unprecedented attack on your rights as Obama mobilizes his army of left-wing activists to push for federal gun bans. “Roll Call” recently ran a piece entitled, “Organizing for America Plans 'National Day of Action' to Mobilize Grass Roots on Guns.” It went on to say:

“Organizing for Action is planning its first official mobilization in support of President Barack Obama’s proposals to curtail gun violence. The nonprofit that inherited Obama’s campaign infrastructure and 2 million strong volunteer army will hold a ‘national day of action’ on Feb. 22, officials said Tuesday.”

If that doesn’t scare you, it should

What you are seeing is “Barry the Community Organizer” doing what he does best: Attacking your rights using millions of rabid radicals who will stoop to any level of deceit in order to control you. The grass roots initiative began with his State of the Union address, in which he packed the house with families of victims of mass killings. Next, Obama went on the road to sell his plan at schools in Atlanta and elsewhere.

Now MoveOn.org is joining the fray by running TV ads that proclaim, “The NRA doesn’t speak for me.” In case you didn’t know it, these are the same folks that you brought you “ACORN”; MoveOn.org is funded by the left wing “Tides Foundation” which is itself funded by none other than freedom-hating billionaire George Soros.
Your voice needed now more than ever

You have politicians scared. As a founding member of the Coalition to Stop the Gun Ban, which now comprises 38 state and national organizations, GRNC members have been blasting Congress with a coordinated message that we will punish any legislator who supports gun control. So to counter your influence, “Barry” plans to “out-grassroots” you. Will you let him?

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

Make ‘Five Phone Calls for Freedom’

To fight back against this left wing attack, we are asking millions of Second Amendment supporters, represented by the Coalition and others, to deliver a loud and clear message to Congress by making 5 phone calls on Monday and Tuesday (Feb. 25 & 26). Please note that we said CALL, not email. We want millions of voices to ring through the congressional switchboard, so please note that you might have to try several times to get through.

Specifically, we are asking you to call:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at 202-224-2541

House Speaker John Boehner at 202-225-0600

Senator Richard Burr at 202-224-3154

Senator Kay Hagan at 202-224-6342

Your representative to the U.S. House. To identify your US House representative, go to: http://www.house.gov/representatives/ and then enter your zip code in the upper right corner of the page.

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Give congressional staff 3 simple talking points:

Nothing about the federal proposals is acceptable – not banning semi-automatic firearms and magazines, not expanding the list of people prohibited from owning guns, and not registering private gun sales via the National Instant Check System;

Because “compromise” means losing freedom, you will not “compromise” on this issue, including any “lite” version of registering private sales through the National Instant Check System; and

As a member of one of the organizations comprising the National Coalition to Stop the Gun Ban, you will support coordinated Coalition action against any legislator who supports gun control.

ADDITIONAL ACTION

If you have additional time, please CALL other US House representatives in the North Carolina delegation, including:

Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO) represents the district in which magazine manufacturer Magpul is located. He plans to tour the Magpul plant in Erie, Colorado today and had invited Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) to join him. Hickenlooper won't be able to attend because he is headed to the East Coast for meetings in New York, Philly, and DC as well as attending the National Governors Association meeting.

Gardner, R-Yuma, said the governor could benefit from the tour because, “as elected officials, I think it is important that we educate ourselves on how legislation can affect our constituents.”

As so often happens, the Congressman's office didn't coordinate with the Governor's office before announcing the invitation. I've read two reports on this invitation in the Denver press. In one report (the Denver Post), the story stops there. Moreover, the headlines in both stories are about the invitation and the governor's inability to make the tour with Gardner.

Hickenlooper told reporters last week that he supports the high-capacity magazine ban; but, during a panel discussion about gun restrictions Tuesday night, the governor appeared to waffle on the matter.

“We haven’t taken a position on that bill yet,” Hickenlooper said. “But I from time to time have said contradictory things on it.

“It’s a tough issue: I mean, how many lives do you save, and how real is the inconvenience to the people who want to have a larger capacity magazine and feel it’s essential for defending their house?”

Hickenlooper’s former legislative lobbyist, R.D. Sewald, who left the administration last year to start his own private lobbying firm, now represents Magpul.

In terms of whether or not a magazine ban is enacted in Colorado or not, forget the news about the tour. That is just publicity seeking by a politician. The important stuff is the relationship between Gov. Hickenlooper and Sewald, the fact that Sewald now represents Magpul, and whether or not Sewald can convince either Hickenlooper or enough Democrat State Senators to can HB 1224. That's the real story.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The commentators on TheBlaze's Real News discussed whether liberal men are being hypocritical. While most of them support a woman's right to choose an abortion, very few of them support a woman's right to choose her method of self-defense. They termed this the New Leftist Patriarchy.

Will Cain started the discussion out speaking of how the gun control debate is being framed by the political elite and the media. He made a very astute point when he said that while gun prohibitionists (my words) question why you need a firearm (or a particular type of firearm), the real question in a free society is why you need to take it away. I think this a point that we in the gun rights community need to make more often.

The remainder of the clip deals with the fallout from Rep. Joe Salazar of Colorado's absurd statements regarding the need for a gun to prevent rape.

Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) was interviewed by Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch on a number of issues. Among the issues was gun control and where she stood on President Obama's proposals. NC Policy Watch is a project of the NC Justice Center which is a self-described "progressive" organization.

In her comments in the interview with Fitzsimon, Hagan appears to commit to supporting universal background checks without actually committing to them. In other words, she's trying to play both sides of the debate. Her comments on gun control begin near the 5:30 mark and run for about a minute. It should be noted that Hagan is one of the most at-risk Democrat incumbents in the Senate.

During this ranging interview, which turns to gun control at about six minutes, Hagan made clear her support of expanded background checks that are a key part of the Obama/Biden/Feinstein gun ban. Hagan claims such checks represent a “positive move” toward keeping “guns out of criminals’ hands”.

What “universal background checks” actually are is a mechanism for gun registration, the necessary prelude to confiscation. Usefulness of such checks in stopping crime is vanishingly rare. According to economist and social scientist John Lott, Jr., purchases prevented by the current NICS system are almost always false-positives, serving only to harass and hinder the law-abiding.

Sen. Hagan clearly needs to be reminded that NC gun owners will tolerate NO COMPROMISE with Obama’s gun ban.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

Call AND email Sen. Hagan: Tell her background checks only harass the law-abiding, and NO COMPROMISE is acceptable.

You recently informed liberal activist Chris Fitzsimon that you believe “universal background checks” will effectively keep guns out of the wrong hands.

You should be aware that we already have an extensive background check system, “National Instant Background Check System” (NICS), which almost never results in identifying criminals attempting to purchase guns. Almost all NICS denials are false-positives and only serve to inconvenience and infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

Proposed expansion of background checks is nothing more than another “feel good” measure that will do nothing to prevent the type of violent crime perpetrated within “Gun Free Zones” that have been created by gun control extremists like Fitzsimon.

As my Senator you need to understand that NC gun owners and I will not tolerate any compromise on or cooperation with Obama’s misguided gun-ban agenda. I will be monitoring your actions via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

NBC is actually presenting some relatively balanced reports on firearm ownership by women. This report aired on the NBC Nightly News on Sunday evening. The mandatory reports on shootings in Chicago - a city with extremely strict gun control - preface this report by Stephanie Gosk. According to a Gallup poll, firearm ownership among women has risen by a full 10 percentage points over the last eight years.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Like firearms manufacturers Ruger and Smith & Wesson, Hornady, makers of ammunition, components, and reloading equipment, has stepped up to the plate with their own gun rights letter generator. The letter is a bit different than the others but it still can be sent to Congress, the State House and Senate, and other state level officials. More importantly, unlike Ruger and Smith & Wesson, the message can be edited and you can add in your own verbiage.

I know this is not the same as a personal letter that is mailed or faxed. Nonetheless it helps build numbers and numbers are important. The Ruger letter has been sent over 4.9 million times.

Here is their basic message that you can customize as you see fit. The message is stronger and more to the point than either of the letters from Ruger and S&W.

As a voter who believes in the U.S. Constitution, I am writing to express my views on gun control legislation currently being discussed in every level of government. I am one of over 100 million law-abiding American citizens who responsibly owns firearms for target shooting, hunting, personal and home defense, and collecting. I care deeply about the Second Amendment, and I am closely monitoring legislation that would restrict my right to keep and bear arms.

I am saddened by the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut, but I believe that efforts to impose new restrictions on me, a lawful and responsible gun owner, are misguided and unwarranted. The so-called "Assault Weapons Ban," which for a decade restricted the sale of semiautomatic rifles and limited magazine capacity to ten rounds, did not reduce crime, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Justice. And since the expiration of the ban in 2004, violent crime has declined.

Your focus should be on real solutions to the problem of misuse of firearms, such as strengthening mental health care and improving the quality of data supporting the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

Do NOT pass more gun or magazine laws; instead, work to enforce the thousands of gun laws already on the books and help step up prosecution of criminals who commit violence and misuse firearms.

We need to be calling, faxing, and writing weekly to all of our elected representatives. We may not have the billions of Mayor Bloomberg to buy out of state congressional seats but I learned a long time ago that money, though important, isn't everything in politics.

On some of the reloading lists that I subscribe to I've seen a lot of rumors about ammo and ammo component manufacturers. While this response from Hornady certainly doesn't cover other large scale ammo/ammo components manufacturers like Remington, Federal, and Winchester, it is still good info especially with some reassurance for reloaders.

A Word on Availability

The current political climate has caused extremely high demand on all shooting industry products, including ours. Empty retail shelves, long backorders, and exaggerated price increases on online auction sites – all fueled by rumors and conjecture – have amplified concerns about the availability of ammunition and firearms-related items.

If the information you hear doesn’t originate from Hornady Manufacturing, don’t believe it.

Here are some of rumors we’ve heard, and questions we’ve received:

Have you stopped production, or has the government forced you to stop?

Not at all.

Did you stop selling bullets so you could only make loaded ammunition?

Absolutely not.

Since we can’t find your product you must be selling it all to the government.

Nope, less than 5% of our sales are to government entities.

Why can’t you make more? Ramp up production? Turn on all the machines?

We’ve been steadily growing our production for a long time, especially the last five years. We’ve added presses, lathes, CNC equipment, people and space. Many popular items are produced 24 hours a day. Several hundred Hornady employees work overtime every week to produce as much as safely possible. If there is any question about that – please take a tour of the factory. You’ll be amazed at what you see.

We are producing as much as we can; much more than last year, which was a lot more than the year before, etc. No one wants to ship more during this time than we do.

We appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience. We don’t know when the situation will improve, so please bear with us a little longer. And remember, when it comes to Hornady Manufacturing, if you don’t hear it from us, please don’t believe it.

When I first read the story in The Blaze saying that the Mexican government wants the United States to compile a registry of all firearms owned in the Southwest border states, I had to check the date to make sure it wasn't April 1st. The Mexicans believe such a registry will make it easier to track firearms found at crime scenes in Mexico.

Mexico's Congress voted to formally ask the United States Senate to create a registry of all commercialized firearms in the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Although the motion will have little impact in the US, it shows the gun control issue continues to resonate on both sides of the border.

The measure was approved January 9 by Mexico's Permanent Commission, the government body that meets when the Senate and the lower house of Congress, the Chamber of Deputies, is in recess.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) senator who introduced the proposal said it was intended to make it easier to trace guns used in violent attacks, reports Mexican newspaper Informador.

KPHO - CBS 5 in Phoenix - followed up on this story and asked Arizonans what they thought of it. As you can well imagine, not much.

This video featuring Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch fame was posted a number of months ago. That said, it never hurts to hear the four rules of gun safety reviewed again. Clint doesn't just repeat the four rules - he gives sad examples of what happens when they are violated.

After watching the testimony of Colorado State Rep. Joe Salazar (D-Thornton) concerning concealed carry on campus and rape, I couldn't help but think that the next thing out of his misogynist mouth would be, "and if it is gonna happen anyway, just lie there and enjoy it."

Evidence and experience do not matter to these people. Colorado State University has had concealed carry on campus for years without problems. It is obvious that concealed carry on campus is only a problem when it impacts the flagship located in the People's Republic of Boulder and not that "cow college"located on the Front Range.

Monday, February 18, 2013

This led the Denver Post to set up an on-line poll asking whether or not Magpul should follow through on their promise to leave the state if HB 1224 is enacted into law. It asks, "If Colorado passes legislation banning the possession of high-capacity gun magazines, should Colorado-based manufacturers of such magazines leave the state?"

Look at the language of the Yes vote:

Yes. Let them carry through with their recent threats to leave. Colorado doesn't need them here.

Could you slant it any more than this?

Now look at the language of the No vote in the poll:

No. HB 1224 makes it clear they could still legally produce high-capacity magazines to sell elsewhere, and Colorado needs the jobs.

Now think about that - if the legislature really believes a product is so dangerous and so injurious to the public safety that it must be banned in the state, then why on Earth would you allow it to be produced and then put into interstate commerce?

As the Republican Minority Leader noted:

House Minority Leader Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, said it was "absolutely inconsistent" for Democrats to have added an amendment to the bill in an attempt to keep Erie -based gun magazine manufacturer Magpul from leaving the state. The amendment says manufacturers could still make high-capacity magazines for out-of-state sale.

"Apparently, they (high-capacity magazines) are not instruments of destruction when they're purchased outside the borders of Colorado," Waller said.

Unless a few Democrats in the State Senate show some spine and defeat the bill, Magpul will be moving. If I were an industrial recruiter in another state, I'd be putting my package together right now. It really is a sad state of affairs in the Centennial State.

If you answered "Kiddie Porn" to the question posed in the headline, you are an objective, rational person. If you answered "an 8-round magazine", you might be a member of the New York State Assembly or State Senate.

I just shake my head in disgust at the misplaced priorities of Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) and the state legislators in New York.

CORRECTION: As much as I'd like to believe that the gun prohibitionists in the New York Assembly and State Senate made possession of a greater than 8-round magazine a Class D felony, that is incorrect. Miguel at the Gun Free Zone corrected me on that. It is either a Class B or Class A misdemeanor depending on whether it is a first or subsequent offense and whether it was possessed inside or outside the home. The section of the law in question is below.

I should take this as a reminder to check and double check something that is just too good to be true.

UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE IS A 40 CLASS A MISDEMEANOR. 41 S 265.37 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CERTAIN AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICES. 42 IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO KNOWINGLY POSSESS AN AMMUNITION 43 FEEDING DEVICE THAT SUCH PERSON LAWFULLY POSSESSED BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE 44 DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN WHICH ADDED 45 THIS SECTION, THAT HAS A CAPACITY OF, OR THAT CAN BE READILY RESTORED OR 46 CONVERTED TO ACCEPT MORE THAN SEVEN BUT LESS THAN TEN ROUNDS OF AMMUNI- 47 TION, WHERE SUCH DEVICE CONTAINS MORE THAN SEVEN ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION. 48 IF SUCH DEVICE CONTAINING MORE THAN SEVEN ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION IS 49 POSSESSED WITHIN THE HOME OF THE POSSESSOR, THE PERSON SO POSSESSING THE 50 DEVICE SHALL, FOR A FIRST OFFENSE, BE GUILTY OF A VIOLATION AND SUBJECT 51 TO A FINE OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS, AND FOR A SECOND OFFENSE, BE GUILTY OF 52 A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR AND SUBJECT TO A FINE OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS AND A 53 TERM OF UP TO THREE MONTHS IMPRISONMENT. 54 IF SUCH DEVICE CONTAINING MORE THAN SEVEN ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION IS 55 POSSESSED IN ANY LOCATION OTHER THAN THE HOME OF THE POSSESSOR, THE 56 PERSON SO POSSESSING THE DEVICE SHALL, FOR A FIRST OFFENSE, BE GUILTY OF S. 2230 25 A. 2388

1 A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR AND SUBJECT TO A FINE OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS AND A 2 TERM OF UP TO SIX MONTHS IMPRISONMENT, AND FOR A SECOND OFFENSE, BE 3 GUILTY OF A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR.

I am corrupt. That is, if your definition of corruption extends to contributing time and money to pro-rights organizations and to pro-rights candidates. Unfortunately, in the fevered mind of Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy it does.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Feb. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --The following was released today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

Chicago's embattled police superintendent dug himself deeper into a pit of controversy today by claiming that lawful firearm owners are agents of political corruption. Appearing on a Chicago Sunday morning talk show, superintendent Garry McCarthy expressed his conviction that firearm owners who lobby their elected representatives or who donate money to political campaigns are engaged in corruption that endangers public safety. McCarthy went on to express his belief that judges and legislators should rely on public opinion polls when interpreting our Constitution.

After totally dismissing the citizen's right to redress grievances, McCarthy trained his constitutional wisdom on the 2nd Amendment. Despite recent court decisions to the contrary, McCarthy opined that the 2nd Amendment limits citizens to owning smooth-bore muskets. McCarthy went on to say that he believes that the 2nd Amendment supports mandatory liability insurance for firearm owners and the mandatory application of GPS tracking devices to civilian owned firearms.

" Garry McCarthy 's understanding of our Constitution barely qualifies him as a meter maid, never mind the chief of the nation's third largest police department," commented ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson . "What on earth would possess McCarthy to assert that constitutional rights should be meted out based on public opinion polls? Let's not forget that public opinion polls once opposed a woman's right to vote while it would be a safe bet that, at one time, polls would have shown lynching as an acceptable form of justice. It has been said that our Constitution exists to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. McCarthy's view of our Constitution is dangerous and unbecoming of a civil servant."

"McCarthy needs to understand that the lawful firearm owners of this state will continue to lobby their representatives and continue to support candidates who represent their interests," continued Pearson. "If Garry McCarthy doesn't like that, well that's just too bad. If McCarthy is so interested in influence peddling, he should pop into some of the gin mills ringing the Illinois Capitol and count the ruddy red noses of taxpayer-funded lobbyists for the City of Chicago."

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. For more than a century, the ISRA has represented the interests of millions of law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

All you hear from the gun prohibitionists and the talking heads in the media is how military-style weapons don't belong on the streets due to the damage that they can inflict. Note they are talking about the cosmetics of the weapon and not really its lethality. However, by the way they characterize the AR-15, AK-47, and other magazine-fed semiautomatic rifles they are intentionally trying to confuse people into believing that these are exactly the same arms as used by the military. No matter that true select-fire arms are governed under the National Firearms Act and many such as the M-4 are unavailable except to the military or law enforcement.

The video below is part of the NRA's Stand and Fight campaign. It features Jessie Duff's appearance on Hannity in which she demonstrated the difference in size of holes created by the .223, the .30-06, 12 gauge shotgun slugs, and a 12 gauge load of No. 2 shot.

Attorney Bobbie Ross, chair of the American Bar Association Second Amendment Civil Rights Litigation Subcommittee, has announced that her subcommittee is having a roundtable discussion on Second Amendment issues this Wednesday. It will be conducted by conference call and you don't have to be either a lawyer or a member of the American Bar Association to participate.

JOIN US WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

FOR A FASCINATING ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

OF SECOND AMENDMENT ISSUES!!!

In the wake of recent mass shootings, many have called for stricter regulations on firearms. What are the possibilities and legal limits of gun control in America? Where can or should lines be drawn, given the Second Amendment's language regarding the right to bear arms? A panel of experts will shed light on issues of public safety, individual rights, mental health, and other issues raised by gun violence. Join us on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. eastern time. Learn the facts, and form your own conclusions.

The roundtable will be Q&A style. You can submit questions for the panelists via email to atty@bobbierossesq.com.

Panelists: Dave Kopel (Research Director of the Independence Institute; Associate Policy Analyst with the Cato Institute; and adjunct professor at Universtiy of Denver, Sturm College of Law), Nicholas Johnson (Fordham University, School of Law professor), Adam Winkler (UCLA School of Law professor), Ladd Everitt (Director of Communications of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence).

In what is a surprisingly unslanted report from MSNBC, Kristen Dahlgren reports on women shooting and owning guns. Featured in the report was Natalie Foster of A Girl's Guide to Guns who I think did an excellent job in framing the issues surrounding gun control.

This report needs to be seen and re-seen as it helps break the media stereotype of the average gun owner being a fat, middle-aged white guy with little education.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Color me skeptical. It has all the earmarks of a modern day Reichstag fire incident. That, for those don't remember their history, was a put up event staged by Hitler as the pretext for getting an emergency decree which suspended civil liberties in Germany.

Given how the Democrats love to use victimhood as the pretext for pushing legislation, what could be better when discussing gun control measures than playing the victim against those evil, angry, and deranged gun owners who want to bitterly cling to their guns and "high capacity" magazines.

In one of the NRA's latest ads, they target magazine bans and restrictions. I love the ending tagline - "Welcome to Barack Obama's new middle class". I think that accurately sums it up. The average American is put at risk while the "progressive" politicians and cronies of the Administration get all the protection that they want.

Friday, February 15, 2013

I came across this video this evening. To listen to some of the gun prohibitionists masquerading as "gun safety experts" a pistol safe like the one in the video would keep us safer. Frankly, I think it only makes things safer for the criminal element.

Denver, Colorado – February 15th, 2013 - Magpul Industries, an Erie, Colorado, based manufacturer of firearms accessories, announced today that it will be forced to leave the state if House Bill 1224, which would ban standard capacity magazines, becomes law. The announcement was made to Governor Hickenlooper, state legislators, members of the media, and in a full-page advertisement to appear in the Denver Post on Sunday.

Richard Fitzpatrick, Founder, President, and CEO of Magpul Industries, said that regardless of any amendments that may be worked into the bill, he will no longer be able to continue to do business in Colorado if his core product is made illegal.

“Our company could not, in good conscience, continue to manufacture our products in a state where law-abiding citizens are prohibited from purchasing and owning them. ” Fitzpatrick said. “The passage of this bill will do nothing to enhance public safety, but will force us to immediately begin taking our business to another state.”

A proponent of the bill argued that with the amendment language, the choice to stay or leave was up to Magpul. Fitzpatrick responded, "Our relationship with our customers across the country would be severely damaged if this bill passes and we stay. We've already heard word of potential boycotts if that happens. They (legislators) really need to understand that our customer base is as passionate about freedoms as we are, and staying here if this bill passes would cripple the company. Make no doubt about it...we have no choice, and would be forced to leave in order to save the business."

Magpul cited the example of the Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show, which was canceled earlier this year after the organizers announced that it would not permit a popular category of firearm, like the ones Magpul makes accessories for, in the show. Public outcry from the customer base forced exhibitors to withdraw from participation, causing the cancellation of the show, and an estimated loss of $70 million of show revenue for hotels, restaurants, merchants, and other businesses in Pennsylvania, where the show was to be held.

Magpul Industries directly employs 200 people, supports another 400 supply-chain jobs, and contributes over $85 million annually to Colorado’s economy. Doug Smith, Chief Operating Officer for Magpul, says that it is a difficult position to be in. "We could choose to stay in a state that wants our jobs and revenue, but not our products, and lose half the jobs we are fighting to save, or potentially the entire business, when our customers stop buying. Or, we can take the company and those 600 jobs out of Colorado to continue our growth and the growth of American manufacturing in a state that shares our values. This is not really a choice. It's an unfortunate and inevitable result of the actions of the Legislature if this bill passes."

Magpul was started over a decade ago by Fitzpatrick, a former U.S. Marine. It has become one of Colorado’s fastest growing businesses, successfully marketing its products to American and allied military forces, police departments, sporting goods stores, and thousands of responsible private citizens. Fitzpatrick says that the rich western culture and strong values of individual freedom and responsibility, traditionally found in Colorado, were one of the reasons the company chose to remain in the state.

“It is heartbreaking to me, my employees, and their families, to think that we will be forced to leave,” Fitzpatrick said. “But if HB13-1224 passes, we will simply have no choice.”

See this earlier post on ways to contact Gov. John Hickenlooper. On his Twitter feed, Hickenlooper keeps talking about growing the economy and adding jobs. Losing 600 jobs due to ineffectual, liberal feel-good legislation will give Colorado negative job growth. I'd emphasize that among other things.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

The New Jersey Law and Public Safety Committee held hearings yesterday on 23 gun control bills and the pushed all of the bills out of committee to the full house. As the release below from the NJ Second Amendment Society makes clear, it was the intention of the committee chairman that all of these bills would pass his committee.

On Wednesday, February 13, 2013, the New Jersey Law and Public Safety Committee heard testimony on 24 anti freedom bills. Approximately 500 liberty minded people showed up to testify against these bills, however only about 200 actually made it into the State House. The other 300 were forced to stay outside during the hearings. Around a half dozen people were on hand to testify in favor of the proposed legislation.

The day started with Committee Chair ASM Charles Mainor declaring all bills would move out of committee and into the general assembly. This bold statement set the tone for the day. As the hearing got under way, it was evident that the chairman and the majority of the committee had no plans on listening to any of those who testified against the bills. The first two pieces of legislation were then hurried through, and only 5 people allowed to testify on each. It was brought to the attention of ASM Mainor that more than 5 people wanted to testify on these bills, and explained that people were told to write “testify on all” instead of individually listing each bill when registering for the day. ASM Mainor then offered to allow testimony after the committee voted on the bills, further insulting the majority of the crowd. The reaction of the crowd forced Mainor to allow people to testify on all the bills, then voting would happen at the end of the day.

Several members of the NJ2AS, ANJRPC, various Tea Party organizations, and other liberty minded citizens came up to testify. People were told there was a two minute time limit, however anyone who went up to speak in favor of the rights restricting legislation were pretty much allowed to talk as long as they wanted. Anyone testifying against the bills were held strictly to the two minute time limit. Toward the end of the day, a Navy Veteran stood up to testify, and called out ASM Mainor for not listening to her being he was having a sidebar conversation when she tried to speak. Mainor quickly shouted back at her, “I am going to conduct my meeting my way, your time is up” drawing much anger from the crowd.

It was a long day, and all of the bills left committee and are headed to the NJ general assembly for vote sometime next week. There was one bill that stood to protect the privacy of NJ firearms owners, A3788 which exempts firearms records from NJ’s open public records law.

NJ2AS urges all freedom loving, liberty minded citizens who oppose this legislation to call, email, and fax New Jersey’s elected members of the Legislature and urge them to vote NO on these bills.

The committee chairman, Assemblyman Charles Mainor, is also Detective Mainor of the Jersey City Police Department. It would be interesting to know if he acts as much like thug when he's on the streets of Jersey City as he does in running his committee.